An optical system includes a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having positive refractive power that is moved during focusing, and a third lens unit having negative refractive power that are arranged in order from an object side to an image side. A distance between adjacent lens units on an optical axis of the optical system is varied during focusing. The first lens unit consists of a diffractive optical element and a negative lens that are arranged in order from the object side to the image side. The negative lens has a meniscus shape in which a concave surface faces the object side.

An optical processor is presented for applying optical processing to a light field passing through a predetermined imaging lens unit. The optical processor comprises a pattern in the form of spaced apart regions of different optical properties. The pattern is configured to define a phase coder, and a dispersion profile coder. The phase coder affects profiles of Through Focus Modulation Transfer Function (TFMTF) for different wavelength components of the light field in accordance with a predetermined profile of an extended depth of focusing to be obtained by the imaging lens unit. The dispersion profile coder is configured in accordance with the imaging lens unit and the predetermined profile of the extended depth of focusing to provide a predetermined overlapping between said TFMTF profiles within said predetermined profile of the extended depth of focusing.

An optical device includes a substrate, a single-layer metasurface disposed on the substrate, and a refractive lens. The metasurface and the refractive lens may be configured to bring at least five distinct wavelengths to focus on a same plane.

An augmented reality device is provided and comprises a waveguide (306); an input diffractive optical element (301) positioned in or on the waveguide (306) configured to receive light from a projector and to couple the light into the waveguide (306) so that it is captured within the waveguide (306) by total internal reflection; an output diffractive optical element (304) positioned in or on the waveguide (306) configured to couple totally internally reflected light out of the waveguide (306) towards a viewer; and a returning diffractive optical element (307, 309, 312) positioned in or on the waveguide (306) configured to receive light from the output diffractive optical element (304) and to diffract the received light so that it is returned towards the output diffractive optical element (304).

Improved fluoresced imaging (FI) endoscope devices and systems are provided to enhance use of endoscopes with FI and visible light capabilities. An endoscope device is provided for endoscopy imaging in a white light and a fluoresced light mode. A relay system includes an opposing pair of rod lens assemblies positioned symmetrically with respect to a central airspace. The rod lens assemblies include a meniscus lens positioned immediately adjacent to a central airspace and with the convex surface facing the airspace, a first lens having positive power with a convex face positioned adjacent to the inner face of the meniscus lens, a rod lens adjacent to the first lens having positive power and an outer optical manipulating structure selected from various designs providing chromatic aberration correction.

Methods, systems and devices for diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems allowing electronically pointing and focusing light at different focal planes. The system can be incorporated into a variety of optical schemes for providing electrical control of transmission. In another embodiment, the system comprises diffractive waveplates of different functionality to provide a system for controlling not only focusing but other propagation properties of light including direction, phase profile, and intensity distribution. The diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems are applicable to optical communication systems.

Optical beam steering and focusing systems, devices, and methods that utilize diffractive waveplates are improved to produce high efficiency at large beam deflection angles, particularly around normal incidence, by diffractive waveplate architectures comprising a special combination of liquid crystal polymer diffractive waveplate both layers with internal twisted structure and at a layer with uniform structure.

An optical processor is presented for applying optical processing to a light field passing through a predetermined imaging lens unit. The optical processor comprises a pattern in the form of spaced apart regions of different optical properties. The pattern is configured to define a phase coder, and a dispersion profile coder. The phase coder affects profiles of Through Focus Modulation Transfer Function (TFMTF) for different wavelength components of the light field in accordance with a predetermined profile of an extended depth of focusing to be obtained by the imaging lens unit. The dispersion profile coder is to configured in accordance with the imaging lens unit and the predetermined profile of the extended depth of focusing to provide a predetermined overlapping between said TFMTF profiles within said predetermined profile of the extended depth of focusing.

Multi-wavelength light is directed to an optic including a substrate and achromatic metasurface optical components deposited on a surface of the substrate. The achromatic metasurface optical components comprise a pattern of dielectric resonators. The dielectric resonators have nonperiodic gap distances between adjacent dielectric resonators; and each dielectric resonator has a width, w, that is distinct from the width of other dielectric resonators. A plurality of wavelengths of interest selected from the wavelengths of the multi-wavelength light are deflected with the achromatic metasurface optical components at a shared angle or to or from a focal point at a shared focal length.

Various embodiments provide for the implementation of volumetric diffractive optics equivalent functionality via cascaded planar elements. To illustrate the principle, a design 3D diffractive optics and implement a two-layer continuous phase-only design on a single spatial light modulator (SLM) with a folded system. The system provides dynamic and efficient multiplexing capability. Numerical and experimental results show this approach improves system performance such as diffraction efficiency, spatial/spectral selectivity, and number of multiplexing functions relative to 2D devices while providing dynamic large space-bandwidth relative to current static volume diffractive optics. The limitations and capabilities of dynamic 3D diffractive optics are discussed.